French Lunel-Viel cows are being fed fine wine in an attempt to make their meat taste better.

Jean-Charles Tastavy came up with the idea, feeding the cows wine in a mixture of barley, hay and grapes.

Tastavy claimed that the alcohol intake for cows should be the equivalent to that of a human. He said: "In the case of cows, this amounts to between a litre and a litre-and-a-half a day."

Claude Chaballier, the farm owner, said that the animals enjoy the taste of the wine, adding that they want to test out the Muscat grape, which he predicts will "give the meat a more musky taste".

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It is hoped that the introduction of wine to the rearing of the cows will make the beef more luxurious and sought after. Kobe beef from Japan is made with beer, and is considered one of the best types of beef in the world.

However, the introduction of the luxurious wine to the cow's diet has tripled the cost of their feed, which increases the cost of a prime beef cut by up to Â£80.